Substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to substrate processing apparatus, with a first and second reactor, each reactor configured with an elevator to transfer a boat with substrates to the reactor. The apparatus having a boat transfer device to transfer the boat with substrates between a substrate loading station, the first and/or second elevator and a cool down station. The substrate loading station and the cool down station may be arranged on opposite sides of the first and second elevator.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate processingapparatus for processing a plurality of substrates. More particularly,the disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, comprising afirst and a second reactor for processing a plurality of substrates in aboat. The apparatus may have a first and a second elevator to transfer aboat with substrates to and from the first and second reactorrespectively. The apparatus may have a substrate handling robotconstructed and arranged to transfer substrates between a boat and asubstrate cassette.

BACKGROUND

Cassettes which accommodate a plurality of substrates may be transferredin a substrate processing apparatus by a cassette handler which maytransfer cassettes between a cassette in-out port, a cassette stationand/or a storage device. The storage device may comprise a cassettestorage carousel for storing a plurality of cassettes. A substratehandling robot may be constructed and arranged to transfer substratesfrom a cassette at the cassette station to a substrate boat to fill theboat with multiple substrates.

To enhance productivity, the substrate processing apparatus may beprovided with first and second reactors. A first or second elevator maymove the filled boat into the first or second reactor respectively forprocessing of the substrates. After processing in the reactor the boatmay be lowered with the respective elevator and cooled down. Aftercooling down, the processed substrates may be transferred from the boatto the cassette with the substrate handling robot.

Since there is limited space in a clean room manufacturing site wherethe substrate processing apparatus may be located it may be beneficialto design the width of the substrate processing apparatus as small aspossible. The limited width of the substrate processing apparatus maymake it possible to stack more processing apparatus side by side, tightto each other in a row.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form. These concepts are described in further detail in thedetailed description of example embodiments below. This summary is notintended to identify key features or essential features of the claimedsubject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of theclaimed subject matter.

According to an objective it may be desirable to provide a substrateprocessing apparatus which has a limited width.

Accordingly there may be provided a substrate processing apparatus,comprising a first and a second reactor for processing a plurality ofsubstrates in a boat. The apparatus may have a first elevator and asecond elevator to transfer a boat with substrates to and from the firstand second reactor respectively. The apparatus may have a substratehandling robot constructed and arranged to transfer substrates between aboat and a substrate cassette. The apparatus may comprise a boattransfer device to transfer boats with substrates between a substrateloading station where substrates can be transferred to the boat with thesubstrate handling robot, the first and/or second elevator, and a cooldown station constructed and arranged to cool a boat of processedsubstrates. The apparatus may be constructed and arranged with thesubstrate loading station and the cool down station on opposite sides ofthe first and second elevator.

With the substrate loading station and the cool down station on oppositesides of the first and second elevator the cooling station may not addup to the width of the apparatus. The limited width may make it possibleto stack more processing apparatus side by side, tight to each other ina row in a clean room manufacturing site.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achievedover the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention havebeen described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that notnecessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordancewith any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example,those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may beembodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes oneadvantage or group of advantages as taught or suggested herein withoutnecessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught orsuggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of theinvention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of certain embodiments having reference to the attachedfigures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment(s)disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of theinvention, the advantages of embodiments of the disclosure may be morereadily ascertained from the description of certain examples of theembodiments of the disclosure when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a shows a schematic top view of an example of the furnaceaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 1b shows an enlargement of a part of FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 1c shows a side view of a part of the embodiment of FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of an example of the furnace accordingto a further embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, it willbe understood by those in the art that the invention extends beyond thespecifically disclosed embodiments and/or uses of the invention andobvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, it is intended thatthe scope of the invention disclosed should not be limited by theparticular disclosed embodiments described below. The illustrationspresented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particularmaterial, structure, or device, but are merely idealized representationsthat are used to describe embodiments of the disclosure.

As used herein, the term “substrate” or “wafer” may refer to anyunderlying material or materials that may be used, or upon which, adevice, a circuit, or a film may be formed. The term “semiconductordevice structure” may refer to any portion of a processed, or partiallyprocessed, semiconductor structure that is, includes, or defines atleast a portion of an active or passive component of a semiconductordevice to be formed on or in a semiconductor substrate.

FIGS. 1a to 1c show an example of a substrate processing apparatus,e.g., furnace 1 according to an embodiment. The furnace 1 may comprise ahousing 2 with a front wall 4 and a back wall 6 connected by two sidewalls 5 (see FIG. 1a ).

The furnace 1 may comprise a storage device (not shown) such as acassette storage carousel for storing a plurality of wafer cassettes Cwhich wafer cassettes each accommodate a plurality of substrates. Thecassette storage carousel may comprise a number of platform stages forsupporting cassettes. The platform stages may be connected to a centralsupport which is mounted rotatable around a vertical axis. Each platformstage is configured for accommodating a number of cassettes C. A driveassembly may be operatively connected to the central support forrotating the central support with the number of platform stages aroundthe vertical axis.

The furnace 1 may have a cassette handler 7 having a cassette handlerarm 9 configured to transfer cassettes C between the cassette storagecarousel, a cassette in-out port 11 adjacent the front wall 4 of thehousing 2 of the furnace 1, and/or a cassette station 15. The cassettehandler 7 may comprise an elevating mechanism to reach to the cassettesat different height. Each platform stage for storing cassettes may havea cut-out therein the cut-out sized and shaped to allow the cassettehandler arm 9 to pass vertically there through and to allow the platformstage to support a cassette C thereon.

An internal wall 19 separating the cassette handler 7 and the substratehandling robot 35 may be provided. The wall may have a closablesubstrate access opening 33 adjacent the cassette station 15 which maybe constructed and arranged to also open the cassette C. Moreinformation with respect to the closeable substrate access opening 33for opening cassettes may be gleaned from U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,945incorporated herein by reference. The cassette station 15 may beprovided with a cassette turntable 16 to turn the cassette C and/or topress it against the closeable substrate access opening 33.

The substrate processing apparatus may comprise a substrate handlingrobot 35 provided with a substrate handling arm 36 to transfersubstrates. The substrates may be transferred from a cassette Cpositioned on the cassette station 15 through the closeable substrateaccess opening 33 to a substrate boat B at a substrate loading station38 and vice versa. The furnace may comprise a substrate handling chamber37 in which the substrate handling robot 35 is accommodated.

The furnace 1 may be provided with a first and a second reactor 45 forprocessing a plurality of substrates. Using two reactors may improve theproductivity of the furnace 1.

The housing 2 may have a first and second side wall 5 extending over thefull length of the furnace 1. The distance between the sidewalls 5 ofthe furnace which defines the width of the apparatus may be between 1.3and 2, preferably between 1.5 and 1.8 and most preferably between 1.6and 1.7 meter, for example about 1.65 meter. Maintenance of the furnace1 may be performed from the backside 6 or front side 4 of the furnace sothat there may be no need for doors in the side walls 5. The sidewalls 5may therefore be constructed without major doors for maintenance.Multiple furnaces 1 may therefore be positioned side by side in a cleanroom of a semiconductor fabrication plant. The sidewalls 5 of adjacentfurnaces may thereby be positioned very close together, or are evenagainst each other.

Advantageously, the front side 4 of the multiple furnaces may form awall which may interface with a cassette transport device in a veryclean environment of a so called “clean room” having very strictrequirements for particles. The back side 6 of the adjacent furnaces mayinterface with a maintenance alley which may have less strictrequirements for particles than the front side 4. The maintenance alleymay be used for maintenance from the back side of the furnace 1.

FIG. 1b shows a top view on details of a part of FIG. 1a and FIG. 1cshows a side view of a part of the FIG. 1 b. FIGS. 1b and 1c show thatfirst and second reactors 45 may be provided with first and secondelevators 46 respectively. The reactors 45 and elevators 46 may beprovided in a treatment module 49. The elevators may be constructed andarranged to transfer a boat with multiple substrates between a lowerregion 53 of the treatment module 49 and the reactors 45. Each elevator46 may comprise a boat support arm 48 having a bearing surfaceconfigured to function as the boat support and which may be moveable ina vertical direction.

A gate valve 63 may be provided between the substrate handler 35 and thelower region of the treatment modules 49 creating a mini environment inthe lower region. The substrate loading station 38 may be constructedand arranged with a boat support 54 to support the boat B withsubstrates in the treatment modules. A cool down station 47 constructedand arranged with a boat support 54 to support the boat with substratesto cool a boat of processed substrates may be provided in the treatmentmodules 49 as well. The boat supports 54 may be constructed and arrangedstationary in a horizontal plane.

A boat transfer device 50 to transfer the boat with substrates betweenthe first and second elevator 46, the substrate loading station 38, andthe cool down station 47 may be provided. The boat transfer device 50may be constructed and arranged to transfer boats B between a pluralityof boat positions within the lower region while keeping the boats Bvertical. The transfer may be substantially horizontal.

The boat transfer device 50 may comprises two boat transfer robots onefor each reactor 45. Each boat transfer robot may be provided with twoboat transfer arms 51. The boat transfer arms 51 may be rotatable totransfer the boat horizontally between the substrate loading station 38,the elevator 46 and/or the cool down station 47. The substrate loadingstation 38, the elevator 46 or the cool down station 47 may be moveablevertically over a short distance of for example a few centimeter to pickup the boat or drop the boat at the holder from the boat transfer arms51. The boat supports 54 of the substrate loading station 38 and thecool down station 47 may be provided with a moveable top surface 52 topick up the boat or drop the boat B. The boat transfer arms 51 may beprovided with a holder to hold a boat. The boat B may be held verticallyby the holder. Underneath the boat B a reactor door 55 may be providedwhich fits in the reactor opening 56 when the boat B is moved into thereactor 45. Multiple boats for example 2, 3 or 4 boats B may be usedsimultaneously in the furnace 1.

Alternatively, the boat transfer arms 51 may be moveable vertically overa short distance of for example a few centimeter to pick up the boat ordrop the boat at the substrate loading station 38, the elevator 46 orthe cool down station 47.

Alternatively, the boat transfer device 50 may comprise three or fourholders for boats. By using more than two holders per reactor it becomespossible to keep the boat on a holder at the substrate loading station38 and the cool down station 47 so that no boat support may be needed.

Alternatively, the boat transfer arms 51 may be constructed and arrangedto shift the boat horizontally between the substrate loading station 38,the elevator 46 and the cool down station 47. The holder of the boattransfer arms 51 may be provided with a U shape to hold the boat. Moreinformation with respect of a boat transfer arm constructed and arrangedto shift the boat may be gleaned from U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,447incorporated herein by reference.

The substrate loading stations 38 and the cool down stations 47 may beconstructed and arranged on opposite sides of the first and secondelevators 46 to keep the width of the furnace 1 limited. For example,the substrate loading stations 38 may be constructed and arranged infront of the first and second elevator 46 and the cool down stations 47may be constructed and arranged behind the first and second elevator 46to keep the width of the furnace 1 limited.

Cool down station 47 may be used for cooling down a boat with justprocessed hot substrates. The cooling station 47 may be provided with agas extractor 60 constructed and arranged to extract hot gas to cool thesubstrates down. The cool down station 47 may be provided with a gasinlet 58 to provide gas to the cool down station 47. The apparatus maycomprise two cooling down stations 47. The gas inlet 58 and the gasextractor 60 may be fluidly connected to a pump to create a gas flowover the substrate at the cool down station. A heat exchanger may beprovided to cool the gas flow and to speed up the cooling down of thesubstrates in the cooling down accommodation. The gas inlet 58 and thegas extractor 60 may be constructed and arranged to create a horizontalgas flow for cooling over the substrates. Alternatively, the gas inlet58 and the gas extractor 60 may be constructed and arranged to create adownward gas flow through the minienvironment to reduce particlecontamination.

The substrate processing apparatus in top view may be configured in asubstantial U-shape (see FIG. 1a ). The boat transfer device 50 and thereactors 45 may be constructed and arranged in the bottom part of theU-shape. A maintenance area 43 may be constructed and arranged betweenthe legs of the U-shape. The distance between the two legs of theU-shape may be between 60 and 120 cm, more preferably between 80 and 100cm and most preferably around 90 cm to allow enough space for amaintenance worker. A back door may be provided between the legs of theU-shape to close off the maintenance area 43 when not in use. Thesubstantial U-shape may include a V-shape as well.

The apparatus may be constructed and arranged to allow maintenance ofthe reactors 45 from the maintenance area 43 to both the first andsecond reactor by a maintenance worker. For example, for maintenance onheating wires, heating sensors, and/or processing gas interfaces(outlets and/or inlets) of the reactors 45 by the maintenance worker.The two reactors 45 may be constructed and arranged adjacent to the samemaintenance area 43 to allow maintenance of both reactors 45 from thesame maintenance area 43. A maintenance door 41 may be provided to allowfor maintenance. The maintenance door may be provided behind the coolingdown station to allow maintenance from the back of the tool.

A maintenance worker therefore may not need to enter the housing 2 ofthe furnace 1 for maintenance work on the reactor 45. Risk of injury ofthe maintenance worker and/or contamination of the lower region and/orthe reactor 45 may therefore be minimized. Maintenance from outside thehousing may also improve the speed and/or accuracy of the maintenance.By using the same maintenance area 43 for both reactors 45 the totalfootprint of the furnace 1 in including the maintenance area 43 may bereduced.

The treatment module 49 may be provided with the maintenance door 41openable in a direction of the maintenance area 43. Both treatmentmodules 49 may be provided with a separate maintenance door 41 to allowmaintenance of each reactor 45 from the same maintenance area 43 by themaintenance worker. The maintenance door 41 of the treatment module 49may also allow maintenance of the lower region of the furnace from thesame maintenance area 43 for maintenance on the boat transfer device 50,the cooldown station 47, gas inlet 58, gas extractor 60, gate valves 63elevator 46, substrate loading station 38 and/or boat B.

Alternatively, two maintenance doors may be provided per treatmentmodule 29; a top maintenance door for giving access to the reactor 45and a bottom maintenance door for giving access to the lower region 53of the furnace 1.

Gate valves 63 may be provided between the substrate handling chamber 37and the treatment modules 49. The gate valves 63 may be closed duringmaintenance to the substrate handling robot 35 so that one of the twotreatment modules may continue working while maintaining the substratehandling robot 35 via the other treatment module.

Maintenance on one of the reactors 45 may not interfere with the otherone of the reactors 45 since both are constructed as separate units. Thegate valves 63 may be closed during maintenance of one reactor so thatthe other reactor and the substrate handling robot 35 may continueworking.

The reactors 45 may have processing gas interfaces (outlets and/orinlets) which may be connected to a gas exhaust pipe or a process gasdelivery system. The processing gas interfaces may be provided adjacentthe maintenance area 43 so as to make them easy accessible duringmaintenance.

The process gas delivery system may be provided (partly) in a gascabinet 67 constructed and arranged to provide process gas to the firstand/or second reactor 45. The gas cabinet may be provided near a top ofthe legs of the U-shape. Providing the gas cabinet near the top of theU-shape provides easy access for maintenance. Further, this placeprovides flexibility if the gas cabinet needs to be adjusted or enlargedsince there is space at the back of the apparatus where no criticalcomponents as substrate handling robots or cassette handlers arepresent.

The gas exhaust pipe may be constructed and arranged to remove processgas from at least one of the first and the second reactors and may alsobe provided near a top of the legs of the U-shape. Providing the gasexhaust pipe in the legs of the U-shape provides easy access formaintenance. The gas exhaust pipe may be provided with pumps andscrubbers which may require regular maintenance. Further, this placeprovides flexibility if the gas exhaust pipe needs to be adjusted orextended since there is space at the back of the apparatus where nocritical components such as substrate handling robots and/or cassettehandlers are present.

The substrate handling chamber 37 in which the substrate handling robot35 is accommodated may be an mini-environment enclosure. The substratehandling chamber 37 may be provided with a gas inlet 39 and a gasextractor 41 which may be fluidly connected to a pump to provide a gasflow through the substrate handling chamber 37. The gas inlet 39 and thegas extractor 41 may be constructed and arranged to create a horizontalgas flow in the substrate handling chamber 37.

Alternatively, the gas inlet 39 may be provided below the gas extractor41 to create a (partial) down flow in the substrate handling chamber 37.A down flow may be preferable because particle contamination may beminimized with down flow.

The substrate handling robot 35 may be constructed and arranged totransfer substrates in a first direction to one of the treatment modules49 and in a second direction to another of the treatment modules 49. Thefirst and second direction may have an angle of 90 to 180, preferably110 to 130 and most preferably around 120 degrees with each other.

The substrate handling robot 35 may be constructed and arranged totransfer the substrate in a third direction to the cassette station 15(in FIG. 1a ). The first, second and third direction may have angles of90 to 180, preferably 110 to 130, and most preferably around 120 degreeswith each other.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of an example of a furnace accordingto a further embodiment which may comprise a housing 2 with a front wall4 and a back wall 6 connected by two side walls 5. The furnace 1 mayhave a cassette handler 7 provided with a cassette handler arm 9configured to transfer cassettes C between a cassette storage carousel,a cassette in-out port 11 adjacent the front wall 4 of the housing 2 ofthe furnace 1, and/or a cassette station 15. The cassette handler 7 maycomprise an elevating mechanism to reach to the cassettes at differentheight.

An internal wall 19 separating the cassette handler 7 and the substratehandling robot 35 may be provided. The wall may have a closablesubstrate access opening 33 adjacent the cassette station 15 which maybe constructed and arranged to also open the cassette C. The cassettestation 15 may be provided with a cassette turntable 16 to turn thecassette C and/or to press it against the closeable substrate accessopening 33.

The substrate processing apparatus may comprise a substrate handlingrobot 35 provided with a substrate handling arm 36 to transfersubstrates. The substrates may be transferred from a cassette Cpositioned on the cassette station 15 through the closeable substrateaccess opening 33 to a substrate boat B at a substrate loading station38 and vice versa. The substrate loading station 38 may be constructedand arranged with a boat support to support the boat with substrates.The furnace may comprise a substrate handling chamber 37 in which thesubstrate handling robot 35 is accommodated.

The housing 2 may have a first and second side wall 5 extending over thefull length of the furnace 1. The distance between the sidewalls 5 ofthe furnace which may define the width of the apparatus is between 1.3and 2, preferably between 1.5 and 1.8 and most preferably between 1.6and 1.7 meter, for example about 1.65 meter. Maintenance of the furnace1 may be performed from the backside 6 or front side 4 of the furnace sothat there may be no need for doors in the side walls 5. The sidewalls 5may therefore be constructed without major doors for maintenance.Multiple furnaces 1 may therefore be positioned side by side in a cleanroom of a semiconductor fabrication plant. The sidewalls 5 of adjacentfurnaces may thereby be positioned very close together, or are evenagainst each other.

Advantageously, the front side 4 of the multiple furnaces may form awall which may interface with a cassette transport device in a veryclean environment of a so called “clean room” having very strictrequirements for particles. The back side 6 of the adjacent furnaces mayinterface with a maintenance alley which may have less strictrequirements for particles than the front side 4. The maintenance alleymay be used for maintenance from the back side of the furnace 1.

The furnace 1 may be provided with a first and a second reactor (notshown in FIG. 2 but the same as in FIGS. 1b and 1c ) and provided withfirst and second elevators 46 configured to transfer a boat withmultiple substrates between a lower region (not shown in FIG. 2 but thesame as in FIGS. 1b and 1c ) and the reactors. Each elevator 46 maycomprise a boat support arm 48 having a bearing surface configured tofunction as the boat support and which may be moveable in a verticaldirection. The reactors and elevators 46 may be provided in a treatmentmodule.

A cool down station 47 constructed and arranged with a boat support tosupport the boat with substrates to cool a boat of processed substratesmay be provided in the treatment modules 49.

A boat transfer device 50 to transfer the boat with substrates betweenthe first and second elevator 46, the substrate loading station 38, andthe cool down station 47 may be provided in the treatment module 49. Theboat transfer device 50 may be constructed and arranged to transferboats B between a plurality of boat positions within the lower regionwhile keeping the boats B vertical. The transfer may be substantiallyhorizontal.

The boat transfer device 50 may comprises three boat transfer robots 61,62, 63. Each boat transfer robot may be provided with a single boattransfer arm 51. The boat transfer arm 51 may be rotatable to transferthe boat horizontally between the substrate loading station 38, one ofthe elevators 46 and/or the cool down station 47. The substrate loadingstation 38, the elevator 46 or the cool down station 47 may be moveablevertically over a short distance of for example a few centimeter to pickup the boat or drop the boat at the holder from the boat transfer arms51. The boat supports of the substrate loading station 38 and the cooldown station 47 may be provided with a moveable top surface to pick upthe boat or drop the boat B. The boat transfer arm 51 may be providedwith a holder to hold a boat. The boat B may be held vertically by theholder. Multiple boats for example 2, 3 or 4 boats B may be usedsimultaneously in the furnace 1.

The substrate loading station 38 and the cool down stations 47 may beconstructed and arranged on opposite sides of the first and secondelevators 46 to keep the width of the furnace 1 limited. The substrateloading station 38 may be constructed and arranged in front of the firstand second elevator 46. The cool down stations 47 may be constructed andarranged stationary behind the first and second elevator 46.

Cool down station 47 may be used for cooling down a boat with justprocessed hot substrates. The cooling station 47 may be provided with agas extractor constructed and arranged to extract hot gas to cool thesubstrates down. The cool down station 47 may be provided with a gasinlet to provide gas to the cool down station 47. The apparatus maycomprise two cooling down stations 47. The substrate processingapparatus in top view may be configured in a substantial U-shape (seeFIG. 2).

The boat transfer device 50 and the reactors may be constructed andarranged in the bottom part of the U-shape. A maintenance area 43 may beconstructed and arranged between the legs of the U-shape. The distancebetween the two legs of the U-shape may be between 60 and 120 cm, morepreferably between 80 and 100 cm and most preferably around 90 cm toallow enough space for a maintenance worker. A back door 41 may beprovided between the legs of the U-shape to close off the maintenancearea 43 when not in use. The substantial U-shape may include a V-shapeas well.

The apparatus may be constructed and arranged to allow maintenance fromthe maintenance area 43 to both the first and second reactor by amaintenance worker. For example, for maintenance on heating wires,heating sensors, and/or processing gas interfaces (outlets and/orinlets) of the reactors by the maintenance worker. The two reactors maybe constructed and arranged adjacent to the same maintenance area 43 toallow maintenance of both reactors from the same maintenance area 43. Amaintenance door 41 may be provided to allow for maintenance. Themaintenance door may be provided behind the cooling down station toallow maintenance from the back of the tool.

A maintenance worker therefore may not need to enter the housing 2 ofthe furnace 1 for maintenance work on the reactor. Risk of injury of themaintenance worker and/or contamination of the lower region and/or thereactor may therefore be minimized. Maintenance from outside the housingmay also improve the speed and/or accuracy of the maintenance. By usingthe same maintenance area 43 for both reactors the total footprint ofthe furnace 1 in including the maintenance area 43 may be reduced.

The treatment module 49 may be provided with one maintenance door 41openable in a direction of the maintenance area 43. The treatmentmodules 49 may be provided with a separate maintenance door 41 to allowmaintenance of each reactor from the same maintenance area 43 by themaintenance worker. The maintenance door 41 of the treatment module 49may also allow maintenance of the lower region of the furnace from thesame maintenance area 43 for maintenance on the boat transfer device 50,the cooldown station 47, gas inlet, gas extractor, elevator 46,substrate loading station 38 and/or boat B.

Alternatively, two maintenance doors may be provided per treatmentmodule 49. For example, a top maintenance door for giving access to thereactor and a bottom maintenance door for giving access to the lowerregion of the furnace 1.

The reactors 45 may have processing gas interfaces (outlets and/orinlets) which may be connected to a gas exhaust pipe or a process gasdelivery system. The processing gas interfaces may be provided adjacentthe maintenance area 43 so as to make them easy accessible duringmaintenance.

The process gas delivery system may be provided (partly) in a gascabinet 67 constructed and arranged to provide process gas to the firstand/or second reactor 45. The gas cabinet may be provided near a top ofthe legs of the U-shape. Providing the gas cabinet near the top of theU-shape provides easy access for maintenance. Further, this placeprovides flexibility if the gas cabinet needs to be adjusted or enlargedsince there is space at the back of the apparatus where no criticalcomponents as substrate handling robots or cassette handlers arepresent.

The gas exhaust pipe may be constructed and arranged to remove processgas from at least one of the first and the second reactors and may alsobe provided near a top of the legs of the U-shape. Providing the gasexhaust pipe in the legs of the U-shape provides easy access formaintenance. The gas exhaust pipe may be provided with pumps andscrubbers which may require regular maintenance. Further, this placeprovides flexibility if the gas exhaust pipe needs to be adjusted orextended since there is space at the back of the apparatus where nocritical components such as substrate handling robots and/or cassettehandlers are present.

Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed above, in part with reference to the accompanying drawings, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to theseembodiments. Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understoodand effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimedinvention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and theappended claims

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of thephrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various placesthroughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to thesame embodiment. Furthermore, it is noted that particular features,structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments may becombined in any suitable manner to form new, not explicitly describedembodiments.

1. A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a first and a secondreactor for processing a plurality of substrates in a boat; a first anda second elevator to transfer a boat with substrates to and from thefirst and second reactor respectively; a substrate handling robotconstructed and arranged to transfer substrates between a boat at asubstrate loading station and a substrate cassette, wherein theapparatus comprises a boat transfer device to transfer boats withsubstrates between: the substrate loading station, the first and secondelevator; and, a cool down station constructed and arranged to cool aboat of processed substrates, and the apparatus is constructed andarranged with the substrate loading station and the cool down station onopposite sides of the first and second elevator.
 2. The substrateprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of thefirst and second elevator, the substrate loading station, and the cooldown station comprises a boat support constructed and arranged tosupport the boat with substrates.
 3. The substrate processing apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the boat support is constructed andarranged stationary in a horizontal plane.
 4. The substrate processingapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the boat support is part of thefirst or second elevator and is constructed and arranged to be moveablein a vertical direction.
 5. The substrate processing apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the substrate loading station is constructed andarranged in front of the first and second elevator and the cool downstation behind the first and second elevator.
 6. The substrateprocessing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a maintenance door isprovided behind the cooling down station to allow maintenance from theback of the tool.
 7. The substrate processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises two cooling down stations. 8.The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thecooling station is provided with a gas extractor constructed andarranged to extract hot gas to cool the substrates down.
 9. Thesubstrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theapparatus comprises two substrate loading stations and the substratehandling robot is constructed and arranged to transfer substratesbetween a boat at the first or second substrate loading station and thesubstrate cassette.
 10. The substrate processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus in top view isconfigured in a substantial U-shape and a gas cabinet constructed andarranged to provide process gas to at least one of the first and thesecond reactors is provided in a top of a leg of the U-shape.
 11. Thesubstrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein amaintenance area is configured in between the legs of the U-shape. 12.The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theapparatus comprises a housing with a front and a back wall connectedwith a first and second side wall extending over the full length of thetool, wherein no doors are provided in the side wall.
 13. The substrateprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the width of the toolis between 1.3 and 2, preferably between 1.5 and 1.8 and most preferablybetween 1.6 and 1.7 meter.
 14. The substrate processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the boat transfer device comprises amoveable boat support arm provided with a boat support configured tosupport the substrate boat and constructed and arranged to be moveablein a horizontal direction.
 15. The substrate processing apparatusaccording to claim 14, wherein the boat transfer mechanism comprisesmultiple moveable boat support arms provided with bearing surfacesconfigured to support the substrate boat.
 16. The substrate processingapparatus according to claim 14, wherein the boat support arm is mountedrotatable around a pivot point to allow the boat support to be moveablein the horizontal direction.
 17. The substrate processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the boat transfer device comprises atleast a two boat transfer robots for transferring boats between thesubstrate loading station, the first and second elevator and the cooldown station.
 18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim17, wherein at least one of the two boat transfer robots is dedicatedfor one of the first and second elevators and the other one of the twoboat transfer robots is dedicated to the other one of the first andsecond elevator.
 19. The substrate processing apparatus according toclaim 17, wherein the boat transfer device comprises at least three boattransfer robots for transferring boats between the substrate loadingstation, the first and second elevator and the cool down station. 20.The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a gatevalve is provided between the substrate handler and at least one of thefirst and second elevator to create a minienvironment.
 21. The substrateprocessing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the minienvironmentmay be provided with a gas inlet and a gas extractor which may befluidly connected to a pump to provide a gas flow through theminienvironment.
 22. The substrate processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the apparatus is constructed and arranged to handlebetween two and four boats simultaneously.
 23. The substrate processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises acassette handler provided with a cassette handler arm configured totransfer cassettes between a cassette station, a cassette in-out port,and/or a cassette storage and moveable up and down with an elevatingmechanism and the cassette storage includes a plurality of platformstages for supporting cassettes each platform stage comprises at leastone cut-out therein, the cut-out sized and shaped to allow the cassettehandler arm to pass vertically there through and to allow the platformstage to support a cassette thereon and the apparatus comprises a wallseparating the cassette handler and the substrate handling robot, thewall having a closable substrate access opening adjacent the cassettestation.